What If?
by xYama-chanx
Summary: Yamanaka Ino's been successful at coping with the loss of her boyfriend. Now she's fine with her life...until the man she had always loved returns one summer. How will she handle the love and the pain he left behind?
1. Passing Pains

**Okay, I am SO SORRY FOR GOING ON SUCH A LONG HIATUS! There, please forgive mee. _Gomenasai, Gomen, Gomen...! :S _Right now, of course, Ino is fuming mad. *_Please don't kill me!_***

**Here it is, and don't forget: I am STILL and forever a Naruto fan. I-I'm...just not that active. :] ShikaIno! ;D OKAY, I am positive this fanfic I'm going to continue with my life! ^^**

**Please read and review! =D**

** Candy, xYama-chanx**

**P.S. I knoww, the whole InoSai coupling is awkward and _wierd_ [believe me, I grimaced at those parts when I was writing], but really, this is a ShikaIno fic...I'm just using Sai to get one part of the plot over with ;D**

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** Ino's POV:**

Well, some of the most enticingly boring things that happens about EVERY summer was just the same as the last one. Konohagakure must have some kind of problem-though Tsunade-sama proves to be an excellent Hokage, I must admit...but a matter most-hm, what's the right word-_precious_ to me has just come up, for goodness' sake.

Maybe most of you remember when Sai, the newest member of Team Seven has arrived two years ago, right? Hehehe, it is-rather the time to tell you all of the dramatic changes that happened since then.

Okay, I mean, Sai, who, at first glance, seems like the rather gayest person you'll ever see in front of your eyes (ugh, because of his so-called attire and wardrobe-I mean, his top is hip-revealing! *shudder*), he turns out to be a cool guy.

He has white skin, black coal eyes that show the faintest trace of emotion, and a 'fake' smile that rather creeps everyone out. But don't get me wrong, though he does remind us of our-stone-hearted traitor.

Uchiha Sasuke was such a bastard, betraying the pride of our village and almost killing everyone that resided here! He had such a delicate, perfect image and body frame though *giggle*. I'm over him now, believe me.

Since he has returned to Konoha, Tsunade-sama had him put on probation and tight-security, including everywhere he went and every action he performed, to be monitored really closely, for in case Sasuke has ever thought of betraying us once again, he will be tortured and sentenced to immediate death.

Anyways, I was happy for Sakura, my pink-haired best friend, for the love of her life has returned-if you could call him that, but she acts all cold around him and devastatingly serious, so it seems as if she has never held strong feelings and emotion for him at all.

But, Sasuke has finally came to realizing her feelings and end other conflicts between them, so their relationship is running strong right now, which is exquisite. It just seems all sweet to me-though not sweeter than my romance between Sai and I.

His attitude is so unique, overall. He always told me nice things and insights, such as the time when we were out for barbecue with Sakura-chan. " You have-rather lovely hair...," he said, holding my hand and kissing it. Besides that, Sakura has been bugging me constantly about his fake love talk.

She told me that Sai was just saying the opposite of everything he meant across encounters with the ladies, as she explained to me, with intense burning emerald orbs, and that he used those points from a source reference, which was _'The Book To Friends and Good Social Life'. _

I never believed her though, which was rather funny, for she started punching him out of his wits, literally. I mean, how could such nice things actually protrude from lies and 'fakeness'?

Ahem. Excuse for my-long-detour there. Anyways, soon to say, me and Sai felt something for each other, though it pained me to remember the same situation, except it was Nara Shikamaru.

I...miss him now. The extreme sensations I felt when he left me was depressing, as if I would die suddenly the next day. Sakura, Naruto and the others came to comfort me, and I eventually turned to Sai for counseling, which grew to be more than I expected it to be.

It was horrible. I wouldn't eat, I refused to go out and start my usual training exercises, and I would ignore Chouji and Asuma-sensei completely, which was inexplicably heart-stabbing.

They were overly worried, but soon I got over my problem and moved on...Shikamaru-cheated-on me. Yes, he did. Everyday, when I would go catch a glimpse of him from afar with _her_, I'd dash away, crying and cowering at home.

The lazy bum went one night to move and visit _her_ in Sunagakure, which was so much more than I could bear. I almost, nearly almost, cut myself, with a slick, sharp kunai, if Sakura and Asuma-sensei hadn't ran in to stop me.

My attempts at self-torture and suicide _just_ over _him_ was fairly stupid, I admit, so, I'll wave it off at each mention of this dreadful time.

Anyways, I did not have the faintest idea that something exciting, happy, yet enigmatic at the same time, would suddenly come to pass across this summer...

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**Finished! That was rather short, but it was just a sneak peek of Ino's mixed-up past and a glance of what's to come! ^O^. Please review! Think of the next chapter as like, what, presents from mee ^^V  
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	2. No Ifs, No Buts?

**Right now, of course, Ino is fuming mad. *_Please don't kill me!_* I've never made stories for suchh a longgg time! D'X  
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**Here is Chappie Two, and don't forget: I am STILL and forever a Naruto fan. I-I'm...just not that active. AGAIN. :] ShikaIno! ;D OKAY, I am positive this fanfic I'm going to continue with my life! AGAIN. ^^**

**Review! -xYama-chanx**

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**I'm all for having no 'official' training exercises, but with the heat, eventually running out of things to do, DVDs to watch-and to mention a _drastic cut _in allowance, which sucked big-time, I wasn't a big fan of summer. As mid-May was winding down, the only thing I was looking forward to was that next week, Sai and I would be celebrating our second anniversary.

"Two years?," Tenten cried, choking from guzzling her water. "You guys are ancient!" My extremely cute but independent brown-haired friend, who was easily recognized with those two trademark buns on top of her head, was taking a break from practicing her scroll-techniques while I was on the verge of striking my 400-shuriken goal, their blades piercing the wood with loud thuds.

I blew my blonde bangs out of my eyes and looked at her. "You make us sound like an old couple, Ten. We haven't been going out for _that _long," I protested, breathing heavily from the pain of my arms because of the shuriken throwing.

"Ino-chan, if you're in the prime of your 'youth'-"

I _tsk_-ed, clearly positive that Bushy Brows clearly had an effect on Tenten ever since she was involved in their team. Talk about...ew, 'youthfully manly'. I shuddered. Tenten ignored the sound with a subtle glare. "-Two years might as well be a decade. You can't be that serious, this young!," Tenten said all-knowingly, picking up a colorful bunch of scrolls that were unfurled and tattered from her unanimous force. "In fact, have you and Sai even done anything new and exciting lately?", she squeaked.

I paused, thinking hard. She took my silence as a no. "See?" She gave me a strained smile. You know, for someone as athletically-built as Tenten, it was impossible for a guy like Neji to not have interest in _her_...this-this female with the guts, the brains, and the confidence, including the advice! If he saw nothing in this woman, I would stomp up to the Hyuuga bastard and give him as many blows to the head that he can't possibly handle!

"That sucks, Yamanaka. You've got to be bored," she added, waving me good-bye and scampering off before I could protest again, leaving me in the dust of the training grounds. Alone. I pouted, planting my hands on my hips. Of course, I wasn't bored-was I? Well, if you could consider movie nights together, restaurant outings and...alright, probably_ extremely_ awkward times when Sai would check out a _guy_ (I know, major _ewww_, let me hear it!) boring, then Tenten had a point. Ugh. I stood there in the gentle breeze on a Friday afternoon, my gaze locked on the sweaty blades of the shuriken dug in the wooden pole.

I sighed. Walking towards it really slowly, I pulled them out one by one, dropping the sharp things into a cute purple zipper case that Nara gave me for my birthday. I glanced at it longingly, until this sudden nose sniff woke up my brain.

_Oh no, not again_, I thought angrily as soon as the tips of my eyes started to sting, threatening a flow of tears on my cheeks. Okay, I told myself so many times that I was OVER Nara Shikamaru (fine, maybe not, obviously, but-) when he left me, it _hurt_. So much. Sometimes I had dreams of him actually returning to Konoha, embracing me lovingly and kissing the top of my head as he would whisper,"_I missed you, Yamanaka_,"; giving me this huge bouquet of red roses, my favorite; staring into my soul with those sickeningly familiar brown-hazel eyes...

Yeah, right. Dream on, girl.

Quickly wiping away the tears with the back of my hands, I ran out of the lush green forest to the loud public bustle of the village where Sakura was waiting, her solid expression thoughtful. "Aw, Ino-pig, what took you so long?" she asked me as we walked together down the gravel road of Konoha's main street, people of all kinds going about their business: eating ramen, sewing rather cute animal clothes, you name it. One glance at my face told her what I dreaded to hear.

"Ino, were you...are you _crying_?" she told me gently, touching my arm affectionately. Even though in the past Sakura and I had, especially as kids, petty fights and those _ohmigod_ moments when_ Uchiha Sasuke _would walk into the room, setting our fan-girl sides completely off-the-top-not to mention those freaaky death glares we used to target to each other (I admit though, Sasuke _was_ hot! *blushing*), she was my best friend, and always will be, no matter if we were so-called 'frenemies'.

I shook my head-actually I shook it a little too hard, which gave Sakura the clue that I was lying. Shiz.

"Come on, Ino...I know it's about...Shikamaru," she said in a hushed tone, although I almost couldn't catch her say it because of the piercing noises surrounding us. "No it's not," I snapped, keeping my vision straight ahead. I did _not _want to get into this whole 'pity and self-pity' conversation again. Beside me, she sighed. I glanced at the Haruno sideways, and she was rubbing her neck softly, her eyes shut closed for a minute. I could tell Sakura was exhausted too, but she was willing to keep exhaustion on her by helping _me_. I pursed my lips, suddenly feeling bad.

"Still...Sai's there for you, right?," she told me again, this time choosing her words carefully as she spoke. We both kept walking in silence as I thought hard about what Sakura just said. "Yeah, I guess," I mumbled, still not making eye contact with her. I suddenly felt a tug on my face as she turned my blonde head to look at her, glaring at me. "Listen, Ino-pig, Shikamaru's a _total _bastard for leaving you! Believe me, I know how it feels!," she yelled in a tone just out of earshot before everyone around us noticed. Her voice rang.

My lips turned down slightly when she yelled that last phrase at me. Oh yeah...Sasuke. He was a total_ idiot_ too for leaving the village. My heart felt a twang of guilt when I spotted a little of that old 13-year old sadness inside Sakura's emerald-green eyes, and it pained me. I remembered clearly when Sakura just couldn't stop the waterworks.

Although the heartless Uchiha was back-and put on _PROBATION_, the extremes (so if he ever tried to betray Konohagakure again: *cut-head-off*), let's just say that Sakura was...playin' hard to get. I knew she still loved him, 'ya know.

_"Sakura-chan, please don't cry!", Naruto insisted, hugging her with only a violent shake-him-off in return. "Shut up, okay!", she cried back at him. Shikamaru and I did nothing but stand beside her, while Hyuuga Neji, Tenten, Lee, Hinata, Dog Boy...the entire lot of us, watched her as soon as we got wind of the stupid, shocking news that Sasuke left just an hour ago. It was night, and the moon was now gleaming on the horizon. We found Sakura just minutes later on a cold, pitiful stone bench after a really really frantic Haruno search, and I forgot how angry Naruto was. He was fuming, and smoke was literally escaping out of his ears. "SASUKE!" he yelled so loud that the village heard nothing but the sound waves circulating from his shout. Naruto holding Sakura close to his chest_, _just zoomed off, with us following quickly after him_. _I mean, Uzumaki was _so _mad about what Sasuke did that his hands were shaking. A tear escaped my eye. I was_ full_ of pity for Sakura then. And so it was right now with Shikamaru. _

I shook the painful memory out of my head, and focused instead on the words Sakura was shoving in my ears. "You've got to be asking yourself, 'Could there be more to this routine'?", she said strongly, gripping my forearm a little hard. I winced. "Oh, sorry," she added, so I felt the fingers loosen. Relieved, I let out a sharp breath, and she still didn't let up on the topic. "What's _wrong_ with you? I thought _you_ thought Sai was 'okay' for me?" I drew little imaginary air quotes in the air. "Are you trying to break us up?" I shouted at her, looking away. Immediately my guts sank in. That was harsh, and I quickly regretted it.

She said nothing, but a flare sparked in her eyes as soon as I decided to glance at her and her cherry-blossom pink hair. "Don't get me wrong! Sai's okay. It's just-I think he's too... '_different_' for you. You know what I mean?" It surprised me though how Sakura decided not to yell back at my face, although I was almost convinced she would start a cat fight again. I blinked away some stray tears, my eyes dropping to the ground.

"No," I answered in a whisper, doubting what I just said. Was that my _brain_ talking on its' own accord? Talk about creepy!

"How do you know Sai is: the one? The best? Even after..." Sakura, sensing my complete emotions on _him_, let her sentence hang.

Actually, it _was_ true how I couldn't avoid the subject for the rest of my life, so I decided to just go with it, especially since my stubborn best friend wasn't letting it off-the-hook either! "I just know, okay?" I insisted. "Don't _ever_ try to confuse me again." I pointed a finger smack in the middle of her large pale forehead, and tried not to laugh. Oh my gosh..._"Hi, forehead!" _The nickname vibrated my eardrums. I haven't heard that name for, what, more than _two years_ now! But the nostalgic feeling disappeared as quickly as it came. I frowned again.

"Ino, I'm just saying. No amount of talk can confuse you when you aren't exactly confused to begin with." I gave _that_ more thought, too. I opened my mouth to argue again, but I had...nothing to say.

"This is final, though." We stopped walking then, although we managed to be minutes away from Nara's _house_. I clenched my teeth, trying to rip my gaze off of the green-colored sloping roof. Sakura turned to me, her expression softening. I held in another wave of tears just by locking eyes with her. "If you can honestly say that you want to be with Sai-no ifs, no buts, not even a 'what if'-then go ahead. _Follow your heart_, Ino-pig. Spend the rest of your natural life with Sai for all I care. But without that absolute certainty, well...", she poked me, hard, with a single pale finger on my chest, making sure what she said really sank in my conscience.

I threw her my dirtiest look. Sakura pretended to zip her lips and throw away the key, then she smirked, her orbs hardening at my glare. Here goes frenemies!

"I'll show you that I'm _over_ Shikamaru," I snarled between my grinding teeth, pressing my forehead to hers. Beads of sweat started to show on the Haruno's big forehead, and I smiled crookedly. "Haha, you look nervous, Sakura. Why's that?" A feeling of some kind of emotion I've never really felt in a long time either brewed in my stomach. She glared right back at me, her own forehead making contact even harder with mine. I showed her a clenched fist, then brought my back on her.

"Let's see if Sai and I stay together for the whole sum-_mer_," I sing-sang, waving a hand in the air. Even though I couldn't spot Sakura, I knew she was right where I left her in the dust, her feet planted firmly on the ground, gloved hands on her hips-I could just picture it.

"Bring it on then, _Ino-pig_!" she shouted at me, and I shrugged off the couple of people who were curious in our little rival shenanigan. Scratch that-a _major_ rival shenanigan. Making my way towards home, I kept silent, thinking about Sakura's recent advice to me. This _so_ wasn't the afternoon I planned, but it did bring out some zest.

I love Sai. No ifs or buts about it. In fact, I like him despite, and sometimes because of, his flaws (remember _eww_ moment?) I was confident he was still, and will stay, a _heterosexual_. 'Kay, awkward.

Well, he _better_. He wasn't perfect, but he was alright for me. I couldn't ask for anyone else besides him.

Stopped in a weird group of people hanging outside Ichiraku's Ramen shop (probably another lame menu special), my bare shoulder grazed somebody as I struggled through them, and...let's just say the sudden whiff of him I got caught in my nose now seemed _extremely_ familiar. "Oh, sorry," I yelped at the stranger I bumped into, hissing when a fat black-spandex clad boy stepped on my toes. Dang it!

Turning my head, I let out a gasp, and it was like everything around me froze in slow motion. There was nothing else present except me and the _guy_ who just replied, "It's fine," and was now staring straight ahead. I stared at him too, realizing I never did actually forget how he looked.

Since that bad, _bad _night of Team 10's special reunion: just our plain 'ol buddy threesome celebrating another year of awesome teamwork, _he_ had all but disappeared from my life, choosing to stay away. I was so depressed, the tulips he left on my doorstep had long withered away too, and all that remained was his note. I kept it in my purple polka-dot diary, tucked away and...hidden.

As if sensing me, he turned his handsome face in my direction and looked..._surprised_! I mentally kicked myself, hoping this was all another one of my cheesy make-believe dreams of mine, but no, he didn't just _shimmer _away like he did in my imagination, which I was _really_ scared of. He still looked _exactly_ the same: that jet-black spiked ponytail on the back of his head, the gleaming pearl earrings Asuma-sensei gave us as gifts for reaching Chuunin status, the...fishnets, the vest...the sparkling Konoha metal symbol on his RIGHT arm...the _everything_. All in one package!

Shikamaru's lips turned up as he started to smile. He mouthed the word 'Hi'. I couldn't move, like _at all_, except nod and whisper "Hello". I held his gaze, or he held mine, I couldn't tell. And just when another guy behind me started pushing me furiously to get out of his way in the crammed Ichiraku path, he managed a small wave goodbye and walked away. No way! He couldn't leave me here!

I rolled my eyes at the stupid thought, 'cause the most important thing was: Nara Shikamaru was back. He_ actually_ came back. But, what the heck, _when_? I missed out on so much!

"I-I, but I...", I spluttered, my mouth forming a huge 'o'. Why didn't I say _anything_?

Crazy ideas came unbidden as I watched his built figure grow smaller and smaller in the village crowd, away from me. Where was he going? I thought that, the minute he saw _me_, he would drop to his knees and apologize and..._kiss_ me so much I would let him back in my world, but...he didn't.

I also thought, my 'what if' just passed me by.

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**Done! Ok, I liked writing this chapter so much :], ShikaIno is just...ugh, it's hard-core: my ultimate favie! 3 What do you think?  
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**Please reviewwwwwwwww ^_^ Arigato!  
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	3. Encounter with 'Hot'

**Thank youu for reviews (even though it was only one xP, but oh well)!**

**And here it is, Chapter 3! I've been working on it, and actually I've enjoyed writing THIS chappie a LOT [particularly because a certain NARA comes back to Konoha, and Ino...well, let's just say she's _extremely_ shocked! xD] ^^V**

**Leave more feedback, and I'll try out any suggestions or advice you give me :) _Arigato!_**

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**Ino's POV:**

"SAKURA! SAKURAAAAA, _oh my god_-!," I cried out loud, pumping my slender legs harder as my baby-blue eyes struggled to look for a certain pinkie among the crowd arranged in clusters around the village._ Nope, not in there_, I thought coolly as I blazed past a small, colorful clubbing store, which was blasting strong R&B music through the windows. I rolled my eyes at the place. Gosh, I _hated _that store sometimes. The warm wind whipped my face and my hair in all directions as I ran, not even stopping to acknowledge Chouji, who was, obviously, stuffing his face with a bag of 'special-flavored Barbecue Chips'. His mouth froze mid-chew as he spotted me zipping past him, and in my vision, Chouji appeared as nothing more than a blur of red and silver.

"Ino-chan, where're you-", I heard him shout after me, but too late, I was running swiftly and very quickly, because I had completely urgent, _shocking _news to tell my pals. My head craned back, I scanned the last area I left, making sure if I really didn't see Shikamaru anywhere since the last time I've seen him either-and he'd just..._came_! Beneath my chest, my heart was beating...fluttering rapidly, and I swear that at one point it almost threatened to _burst _through my skin. He was back..._Nara Shikamaru was back_. I panted hard, my cheeks flushed now as I searched frantically for Sakura. Really, once I find her I'll _literally_ grab her myself and shake her to oblivion with what I was gonna say, headache or not!

My head swam in the pool of crazy thoughts I didn't even _let_ flash before my eyes. I can_not_ screw this up!

Dodging a black-haired couple walking past me with a bundle of takoyaki balls (which also happened to be Shika's favorites-I never forgot_ that_ either), I hastily apologized and sprinted into the courtyard of Konoha's Main Office. I squinted for a second, glaring against the sinking orange sunlight reflecting off the symbol of the Village of Fire. Here, I heard nothing but deafening silence.

Where the heck was that big forehead? Frick. Starting to get seriously irritated now, I decided to do this whole 'difficult' matter with my own hands, no matter wh-

"AHH!," I cried, bumping, hard, into a solid wall of _chest_ that was _right behind me_ as soon as I turned sharply to leave. Who was this? I slowly looked up, shock swimming in my mind. There was the face of a certain jet black-haired Uchiha, staring, expressionless, down at my own eyes with those dark onyx orbs. The orange rays of sun poured on part of his pale skin, making him seem a little scary. The chiseled jaw bones loomed in front of my view. What was _he_ doing here? Isn't he supposed to be on probation? Isn't he not allowed at all to wander around without Anbu Black Ops observing his _every_ move? Eh, this was another awkward scenario, if you ask me...

"Uh, oh, sorry, Sasuke-kun, w-what are you...doing here?" I blinked, unmoving. _Speak UP, Yamanaka! _I stepped back slightly, leaving a bit of space between us. That encounter put us slightly too close to each other, and I didn't like the feeling. No WAY was I going to allow that 'Sasuke Is Mine' Rivalry thing which used to go on between Haruno and I way back before happen _again_. It pissed off Nara a lot when were just thirteen-and guess what? I was stupidly oblivious to his feelings towards_ me_.

_Shikamaru was mine, and I was his. _Tingles flew all over my own skin. Sasuke cocked up a perfect eyebrow at me. "I was going to ask you the same thing, Yamanaka," he told me, his voice deep and silky, it sent a teeny bout of electricity down my spine. Ohmigod.

"I-I'm looking for Sakura," I replied, struggling to keep my tone low and cool towards THE Uchiha Sasuke: stuck-up obnoxious jerk...well, he wasn't really what I would call a jerk, but still-

I don't know if I was just imagining weird things in my eyes, but did Uchiha _actually_ light up when I mentioned her? O.M.G. He seriously _still_ had the hots for the pinkie. Wait 'till I told her about THAT! But the glow on his handsome face went down a little bit as he spoke, too.

"Sakura?" His tone was smooth-gritty?-and _strained. _Whoa, Haruno just might end up punching random walls around Konoha into sand and rubble 'cause of her extreme happiness, I bet! _"You're kidding, right? Sasuke...kun...still likes me? Actually? Ahhhh, oh my god!"_

"Yeah, why?" I said, crossing my arms to maintain that tough-girly vibe I always had. Hehe. Sasuke narrowed those eyes as dark as coal at me. "I'm just...wondering, you know." He tilted his head slightly away from me, and at that moment I spotted the dark, menacing mark of the curse seal on his neck. The mark shimmered. I gasped quietly, pursing my lips. _So _that _was the reason why he became so egotistical...and sometimes not himself. I mean, before, he was more 'cold' than usual. _

I shook my head, my blonde bangs bouncing. "O-kay...but what are you doing here by yourself? Aren't you supposed to have guards with you?" I shifted my feet, glancing down at the fishnet warmers woven around my skinny, slender legs. He turned, glaring at me. Aha, he was irritated again...just like old times.

"Hn," he grunted. I battered my eyelashes, observing his face the whole time. Sorryy, but if you ask me, it didn't mean that because I already had...*ahem*..._have_ a boyfriend, I couldn't 'observe' other guys! But that was just my style!

"They trust me now. It's not like I'm going to kill everyone near me...like you," he said, smirking. "Ahah, like they trust _you_, back-stabber," I replied flirtatiously. Red-hot alert! Ugh, Sakura, you are_ so_ very lucky! Wow, that sexy smirk debuts again! I haven't seen Sasuke since his-I've got to admit-creepy probation sentence. I mean, he_ did _look exactly the same, too...except hotter. I couldn't believe the great _surprise_ the first time I saw him in front of Tsunade-sama...and seriously, Haruno was _gagging_. _"T-that's...that's Sasuke?" I looked at my friend, an eyebrow raised. "Uhm, _yeah_, honey. Who else has a back as smoking as _that_? Ooh, niice broad shoulders!" _

_"I'm gonna_ kill_ you, Ino."_

_"Try me, haha." _

Eh, I know, I know. Just remember, this was wayyy _before_ Shikamaru came back, okay?

"Sorry, Sasuke, but I have to go find Haruno," I told him quickly, bowing a little at him before I just_ ran_ out of there like heck. Who knows what he'll do to me? "Sure. Tell Sakura I'm expecting her, Ino," I heard a brisk, velvet voice whisper in my ear a second before I turned around. My eyes widened, mouth opened...the whole pose. I didn't even bother to reply! Oh my god.

As soon as I was out of the Uchiha's earshot, _again_, I yelled as loud as I could while I ran, my voice splitting the air like a destructive time bomb. The oxygen just whooshed out of my lungs. "SAKURAA! _Where are you_? I have something to tell y-AHH!" I recklessly bumped into the slender back of somebody_ again_, spitting pieces of _red _fabric out of my teeth. Eww, who was that? Just I had predicted, I saw shots of medium-short pink hair swimming before my vision. I blinked a few more times to straighten it back to a crisp 20/20.

Sakura whipped around in surprise, gripping my shoulders as she helped me get up. I groaned, clearing my throat. _That's just great Haruno, appearing right after everything I've just went through, here! _"What the heck, Ino? Why are you screaming like a banshee?" she told me mockingly, poking my sweaty forehead gently. I was panting, glaring at her. "I...was...looking...everywhere...for you!"

"Whoa, calm down, Ino, we parted ways like 20 minutes ago," she told me, her feminine voice ringing. I shoved what she told me out of my brain. I couldn't care less right now, though. "I know, but there's _way_ more important things that matter here!" I took both of her shoulders and shook big-forehead as I spoke, which weirded her out even more as she stared at me, her emerald eyes glowing.

"Listen, I ran into SHIKAMARU right after I left you in the street! He...h-he was _there_! Like, _actually_ smiling at me!" I ran through the memory over again in my head, ensuring it wasn't simply a dream. _The tips of Shika's mouth turned up, making such a hot, good-looking smile._ I pinched the skin hard on top of my pale hand too, for good measure. "Ow!" I hissed, _obviously _taking it as a painful yes.

"INO! Get a _grip _on yourself!" she cried, taking hold of both of my arms and glaring at me. Then, what I just told her sank into Sakura's mind as she stared wide-eyed again, her green orbs growing bigger and bigger by each passing second. Yep. Sakura exploded.

"_NARA SHIKAMARU_?", she yelled, shaking me now in the same manner I did to her. "THE Genius?" I nodded, feeling great stupid shades of deep red blushes grow on my cheeks. Here it goes again...I mean, who could blame Shikamaru for giving the best kisses _ever_, in my opinion?

Sakura squealed as loud as she could in the middle of Konoha square where we stood, and a good two or three or so people began to notice our outbursts of _craziness_ over the guy, yet they had to wait until an even BIGGER outburst ensued, and that included Uchiha Sasuke. OH, I still had to tell her, too! "Yep. Apparently he came back and _I_ didn't even _notice_-"

"Whoaaa, like, when?" Sakura asked, her voice high and unusually shrill. I took it sounded that way because of the utter excitement, which was completely typical of my best friend. I grinned, warm fuzzy outbreaks growing along my skin. "I don't know! He just...BAM!...appeared right before my eyes! It's not like he was make-believe either-", I explained, my own voice the same pitch as Sakura's.

"_Seriously?_", she butted in again, interrupting what I was supposed to say first. "B-but-I thought he moved in with that 'Temari' girl?" Sakura planted her black-gloved hands on her perfectly proportioned hips, making me a tad jealous. Why didn't I have that _complexion_? Geez...

Uh oh. Sabaku No Temari. I gave Sakura a wingrimace-I dunno, something between a wince and a grimace. That woman pissed. Me. Off, and I swear to the sky she'd stolen Shikamaru AWAY from me (I did _not_ want to believe that Nara was the one pursuing _her_ at all...it made me furious)! By the way, was she here in Konoha, too? Because I didn't care if she died._ Seriously_. I hated her _SO FRIGGIN' MUCH_, I can't even _explain_ it properly! She thought she was 'entitled' to messin' with my man, touching him, doing God knows what with him, but NO...ack. Total _ewww_! And she was downright ugly! Sorry, but that was the truth: who wears four sand-brown pigtails? And that darn big fan...

"Uh, yeah, he did, which was really stupid!" I answered back curtly, and she nodded with a disgusted, partly sympathetic face, agreeing with me. Still, I didn't want Sakura to be _too_ concerned. "You don't have to be so mushy about my situation," I told her, and she shook her head, her cherry-pink hair swaying. I frowned slightly as she put a hand on my arm, squeezing it. "Ino, I'm mushy about you because you're my best friend. D'ya think I'll _actually_ let you get dumped because of some girl who _stole_ your guy away from _you_, Yamanaka Ino of_ all _people? Get _out_," she said, making me laugh with the scrunched-up nose she gave me, winking.

I sighed inwardly, closing my eyes. Best friends sounded _wayyy_ more convincing than frenemies: but 'frenemies' was bad-a** tough, and I _did_ want to keep it that way.

I smiled at her, and she smiled warmly back. "Thank you, Sakura."

"It's no problem, Ino-pig."

Soon enough, just out of nowhere, I remembered the unforgettable flash of breath on the nape of my neck; lips forming words. Nobody ever did something like that to me except you-know-who, but...Ohmigod: _Sasuke_! Suddenly the intense bubbly feeling I had at the mention of Shikamaru freaking returning to the village disappeared, and instead was replaced by an exceptionally intense feeling of_ anticipation _with the reaction I was predicting from cherry-pinkie as soon as I told _her _what the 'mysterious' chicken-butt haired male told _me_.

And don't blame me for describing Sasuke as mysterious. Really, most of the time I couldn't even read his expression, and it was so frustrating! It's, like, solid on his gorgeous face!

"Uhm, forehead, I...also ran into _Sasuke_ while I was looking for you," I whispered intently, and she flushed. Bingo.

"W-What? Really? D-Did he talk to you?" Now usually-confident Sakura was _stuttering_: an amusing effect that only the love of her life can do to her. Those blushes...oh my gosh, they were so cute on Sakura! Why didn't I notice that before?

_Maybe because you were so preoccupied in talking about Shikamaru being _hotter_ than Sasuke, only paying attention to your_ own_ blushes. _

_Shut up!_

"HAHA, of course he talked to me! And _yeah,_ because I...bumped into him when I was going to leave and search for you in another part of town." My eyes were locked on Sakura's own, and there was a little fire beginning to spark in those emerald orbs.

"He...there...were no Anbu guarding him?", she asked, sounding completely doubtful and shocked and fascinated _all at the same time_. Sometimes I didn't know what really _was _going on in that huge brain of hers.

_Uh, duh? Obviously._

_Shut up. _

I shook my head, the long ponytail on the top of my head flowing. "No. For a sec, I was sure that Sasuke might_ actually _ kill me, until I was going to ask him, then he answered for me and was all: '_It's not like I'm going to kill everybody. They trust me now-'_, something like that," I told her, my voice becoming this fangirl-shrill again. Sakura stared at me hard once again, still wide-eyed. Ooh, she was _so _eager to hear about her child-hood 'love', wow. The girl's got it bad, but trust me, I knew how that feels...and it made _me_ feel _great_.

"Oh, and you should know-Sasuke told_ me_ to tell _you_ that he's _expecting_ you_._" I put solid, strong emphasis on the words on purpose to drill it in her mind. Just as I had predicted, Sakura turned an even _deeper_ shade of red (omg), and seriously, I could have mistaken her for a fresh apple.

"Sasuke-kun's expecting me? Actually?" Ah, there goes the _-kun_.

"_Why_ would I even _tell_ you this if he didn't?"

"Oh."

I tsk-ed. "SAKURA, get a _hold _of yourself this time!" I playfully shoved her in the direction of the Konohagakure Probational System building. She yelped, throwing me this irritated look. I threw my hands up in the air. "Hey, a certain Haruno told me to _follow my heart_. You should learn how to follow your own _advice_, forehead!"

I bit back the urge to laugh when I spotted her hands clenched into fists, and the skin of hers was brimming with sweat now. I smirked. "Nervous?"

She glared at me intensely, trying to walk back to her house, but I kept her planted right in front of the probation quarters. "INO! What's _wrong _with you? I'm not going to visit him _in there_!" Sakura shook a slender finger in the direction of the building. I pushed her even closer to the place, and I had to admit, this girl was as strong as everybody else mentioned, so I had to dig the heels of my feet and sandals into the ground to get her there with force. _"Sakura has this _insane_ strength like Granny Tsunade's. I'm serious!", Naruto exclaimed, his face glowing with pride for his crush. _

"Go, Sakura!"

"What about Shikamaru-"

"I said just_ do_ it! Tell me all the dirty details and such later!" Sakura threatened to pummel me into the ground with that last sentence I made, blushing like crazy. What was up with that?

_It's all that dirty stu-_

DON'T_. Even GO THERE. Shut the frick up!  
_

"And_ fine_, I'll deal with Nara myself...and I'll tell you, 'kay? Go!"

Finally, she managed to straighten herself up, walking _very slowly_ on the gravel path to the building. Mission accomplished. But ugh, was she seriously going to walk like a turtle? Sasuke was waiting!

"PICK UP THE PACE, HARUNO!" I shouted at her back, and I saw her neck stiffen as she stomped one booted leg after the other, definitely moving faster. She was evidently pissed at me, and geez, I was going to get a portion of a Sakura knuckle sandwich. Eugh. Then I had to scram before she got out of the Probation center.

I was actually inexplicably happy for my friend. I mean, there was nobody who wouldn't _not_ have the hots for her. Look at her! Like I said with Tenten, I'll go punch as many people in the face who did NOT think Haruno Sakura was _very very beautiful_.

Now to deal with my own mission, I_ had _to go find Shikamaru. By myself. Alone. Oh god.

I blew a stray strand of hair out of my eyes. Okay. This was officially going to be one of the most risky missions I have EVER taken in my life.

Well, not really risky, but you get the point:

_Operation 'Nara Shikamaru'. _

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**Doneeee! Thank youuu so much again, and so, what do you think? Good? Bad? Awesome? XD Leave feedback, and Chapter 4 will be up next!**

**:D I loved writing this chappie OMG :D Sasuke and Shikamaru=hotness too. x3 XD Okay, I'm wierd, I get it. **

**xYama-chanx  
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	4. Haruno Meets Uchiha

**HEY GUYS! Thankss so much for the reviews AGAIN [although it was a mere three reviews hehe x3], I still appreciate it! And heree's chappie Four. Please enjoy your piece of cake-and although I have ewww MIDTERMS in-between all of this, my nice break was writing, lol xD Just my style!**

**Revieww, and notify me about your opinions on it! ^_^ :3**

**xYama-chanx**

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**Sakura's POV:**

Oh _GOD_, I am _so _going to throw a flying fist at Yamanaka's face for all I care. Fixing my gaze on the run-down Probation Center, I moved to the right quickly, dodging a rather big stone which was starting to peel off the old copper roof. _Geez, this place was literally falling apart._ My own breathing increased rapidly as soon as I recalled why I was_ even_ here in the first place: Oh. My. Gosh, Uchiha Sasuke was_ expecting_ me.

At first I refused to believe my loud, blonde best friend when she broke the unbelievable friggin' news to me: the 'ol 200 IQ Lazy Bum has indeed returned. If you ask me...I was literally all, 'say what'? Yet at the same time...let's just say I _persuaded _the hard-headed Ino to follow her heart! I know, I know-_so_ Dr. Phil, but still, we were pals, although I didn't_ really_ used to acknowledge our hilarious friendship...plus shenanigans included!

But guess what? Now Ino had to push me (_forced_ me, actually) ALL THE WAY HERE, and I was in _no way_ prepared to face Sasuke! Seriously, I wasn't kidding! Yet again...*sigh* Yamanaka didn't listen. UGH! If something _happened_ to me-say I was-

_Kissed by the hot Uchiha until your clothes stuck to your back from the sweat and all-_

_AHHHH! Get _OUT _of my head!_

_'Ya don't speak to me like that! Aren't I your Inner? I'm responsible for saying stuff_ you_ don't want to say yourself, so _excuse_ me. Geez. Just wait, the Uchiha's gonna MELT like butter when he sees y-  
_

_Shut UP, okay! For once, I'm not going to rely on you for almost _everything_ I'm thinkin' about!_

_Fine. Inner out...for a while._

_STAY out until the right time!_

_I don't think so, Sakuraaa...soon enough, you're going to give in to your own drive._

_UGH. You're sick._

Push the whiny inner aside. I had to admit that I don't even have the _slightest clue _where my inner came from, but it was downright annoying when she would begin screaming hysterics in my ear. _One_ more gross blow like that and I_ swear_ she is going to get it!

Anyways, I shook the crazy meddling thoughts out of my mind as my feet made contact with the rickety tiles of the Probation Building. Oh my GOD, this was, by far, the most _stupidest_ idea anyone had ever suggested to me! Ino was another victim as soon as I returned. How dare she force me like this against my utter wills! UGH.

Wait. What was I even _doing_? Mentally kicking my conscience, a resolve popped up...a statement that I can't believe I _never _whipped up in the first place the whole time I was here!

_I could always_ turn around_ and head back to the village complex. Easiest matter ever._ Yet again, my mind considered the doubts a little bit. Ino _did _tell me the Uchiha was 'expecting' me. For _what_? The very idea irked me and tugged strings of fear. Che, scratch that-I would deliver _twelve _blows to the Yamanaka's head! W-what would Sasuke possibly want with me? That I couldn't believe I was actually going to find the illuminating answer to.

Obviously, right now I hated Ino _SO_ freaking much...and excuse me if I already said that earlier. Not only was I mentally unprepared for this unexpected encounter, but there were...consequences if Uchiha didn't want to see me. What if he grabbed my neck and started wringing and flailing it around like a dead chicken, completely furious with me for _not_ going to get him (speaking of retrieval, I _hated_ to say, with the whole of my guts, that Uzumaki and our briefed team failed to bring Sasuke back for the _second_ exhausting time)? What if he wants me to destroy Konoha and kill _everybody_ in it? What if-

_Oh, get a grip!_, I thought to myself. It was no use at all burning your brain cells over things that had a clear ZERO percent possibility of even happening, tch! _The guy's on 'extremes' probation! It's not like he would attempt to _kill _you, _Haruno Sakura. _AND how the heck is he going to _'destroy'_ Konoha?_

Finally, my logic did serve a point, for once.

Alright, enough of my mental conflicts. It was time for me to deal with this shiz, and a certain someone like myself never failed to get something done. I inhaled a sharp breath, licking my lips that were coated with nervousness. There _was_ one thing I had always wanted to tell the dark onyx-eyed hottie *ahem*, but never had the chance to:_ I..._love_ you. I_ care_ about you, Sasuke-kun! And revenge does _nothing_ to solve all your problems! It only inflicts hatred! War! Broken hearts..._like mine_. _

With a shaking hand, I pushed the door decorated with lichen open. Surprisingly, it let me in with a flourish, but the pungent, icky scent wafting through my nose _almost_ made me lose a nerve and bolt out of there.

My gaze darted around the old place. Did anyone even think of seriously recruiting some kind of cleaner ninja to keep it in check? 'Cause in my opinion, I couldn't shake off the weird feeling that the roof might just cave in and bury me alive. Slowly moving forward, I noticed various pieces of paper in different colors pasted smack on the cream walls, as dull as it sounded. A broken oval mirror hung in one area above the Welcome Desk, and the floors were obscured with thin, filmy layers of dust. Ew. Wilting rhododendrons stood in a gray container in the corner looking so bad in composure I could almost imagine Ino blowing her top off at whoever couldn't take care of them properly.

_How could Sasuke stand this building, _I thought in disbelief. My eyes locked on a shadowy silhouette behind the wooden desk, whose head was also hung low as she did whatever her business was in the Probation system (and _yeah_, I could see it was a female, alright). Plus, it was so quiet, my ears heard _deafening_ silence-you know, the type that rings prolonged you'd think you're crazy hearing things.

"Um, excuse me?" Ugh. I _so_ hated Yamanaka right now. I know, but I will always say it whether you like it or not.

She snapped up from her paperwork as she heard me approaching, and suddenly an emotion of 'intruding' overwhelmed me, even though it wasn't supposed to be so. Odd. I expected someone more...'built' in charge of the Probation Building (obviously due to keeping 'murderers' in check and all), but this wasn't the case.

The girl's age hovered somewhere close to mine because of how young the pale cheekbones looked, and instantly I was interested in who she was. Hey, a Hidden Leaf nin also needed to be alert of whoever they encountered, you know. The dark-haired girl squinted her _onyx _eyes at me (why the frick were they _onyx_?), and I kept my shocked gasp inside my throat for the sake of not scaring her.

"Hai, who are you?," she asked me, her voice shaking but strong. I stifled a chuckle, replying back politely. Her shyness was rather cute, in a way. "Haruno Sakura, seventeen years old, Leaf Medical Nin and Chuunin. I-I'm here to see Uchiha Sasuke." My tongue shuddered in pleasure at the sound of his full name, my mind zoning out a little bit at the mention. _I've never said it in such a long time..._

The girl glanced down, and I spotted she was wearing simply a regulatory green vest coupled with a dark-magenta t-shirt, with nothing on her slender arms except the Village crest. I shrugged nonchalantly, feeling safer now that she was one of us.

_Uh, why would I even _think _she wasn't 'one of us'? _

_Because you're starting to get impatient, and you CAN'T WAIT to see the Uchi-_

_Shut up. And get OUT of my head while you're at it, alright? I can't risk _any_ distractions. _ANYTHING_. You hear me? I've got enough bitter taste from embarrassing myself in front of Sasuke-kun ever since I can remember.  
_

_Whoa, calm down, fine._

"Oh, Uchiha Sasuke...he was an ex-rogue ninja, am I right?" Her gaze locked with mine, and a seeming intense heat swept me up for like two seconds when she brought up who he was before.

I nodded, trying not to shudder visibly. The memory of...Sasuke a rogue nin once...Sasuke marked to be _killed_ by his own teammates...(and which was luckily dropped, thank God) was _completely_ painful and broke my heart into faltering pieces, I didn't even let it slip into my mind _at all_. Shoving it away, I focused on the present.

"Okay. Room 456. Here's your room pass." She stood up to pick one long red stick out of a bright yellow container which housed more of the same type (but in different colors) and gave it to me. I scrutinized it, clearly weirded out. _Who_ in their right mind uses a_ mere STICK_ as a room pass?

She seemed to notice my disgust at it, because she replied quickly, with a tone agreeing with me, "I know, it's extremely odd to use a stick, but...I think it serves as emergency means. Tsunade-sama said it absorbs the chakra in your hands-well, in your body, at least-when it becomes sort of 'heated up' or when there's tension, then it triggers this thing-", she gestured her arm towards a large oval ball of light suspended in the air right beside her head, "-and glows a sizzling white to signal something's wrong." The girl smiled at me then reassuringly, and I relaxed, understanding what she said as it sunk in.

"O-kay then. So I just _go_...?" I sent her a brief questioning look, a little hesitant. My hand squeezed the red stick tight, which was now slick with sweat. I was so _nervous_, okay? She prodded me to go on, still smiling. "Hai. Oh, and if there's danger, it also sends Tsunade-sama the message. The orb is connected by an invisible chakra thread to her office...and she sends reinforcements here."

"Alright. Thanks a lot. And your name is?" My body was angled in the direction of the dim hallways, waiting for us to end the conversation. The girl sank back in her seat as she took hold of the parchment list again. "Ayumi Hiko, fifteen years old, Chuunin." She gave me one last smile, and doing the same thing back, I turned and headed into the narrow tunnel.

In the distance, I heard the hollow sound of a tap running, while to my right, an audible slam of a cabinet was heard. _They actually live here temporarily, then..._

I let out a sigh of relief, beads of sweat forming on my large forehead as my pink hair swayed from the faint warm breeze running through the hallway. Good thing they weren't confined in _jail cells_! It would be, what, like they were actually prisoners in a hellhole, and I couldn't consider the fact that Sasuke _is _in a cell at all.

Room 456. Room 456...the numbered digits of the door I was seeking sped my breathing up a notch, and I began panting, tingles of electricity circulating outwards on my skin as I gripped the random stick tighter. Oh my god: I was going to see Sasuke any minute now-

_HEY! Loosen your grip and calm down! The stick's gonna get your 'tension' chakra all over it and signal an emergency! _

"Ah!," I yelped, finding myself and attempting to stay calm and collected as I loosened my grasp on the red stick as I walked, wiping it on the front of my red sleeveless blouse. Whew, close call! Thanks, Inner. At least she served as some help today for once.

_No problem, Sakura. _

_Get lost, now._

_Inner out._

The hallways weren't illuminated enough to exude light so I can see where I was going, but the flickering fluorescent bulbs were alright all the same. Right now, I could feel cherry-red blushes rising on my cheekbones, and I couldn't risk the Uchiha seeing it, either! I _did _mention to Ino that I was playing 'hard to get' at him as soon as he returned to Konohagakure...the utter guts and the utter _nerve _he had to leave and inflict PAIN on all of us...but what else do you expect me to do? He had to fight for my affection (take THAT, Karin) but_ don't_ question me: I still loved him, duh.

My breathing shallowed out gradually as I approached Room 456, and as I did _not_ expect: no Anbu guarding the way. _Shiz. _

So this was what Yamanaka was talking about...of Sasuke being free to roam around wherever he wanted _whenever_ he wanted without the Black-Ops. Tch, again, if he_ killed _me...blame it on Hokage, but I wasn't going to trust the facts that Ino spilled to me quite easily until he _really _exhibits he could be _trusted_. Trust my a**.

Standing right_ in front of the freaking dark-brown door_ now, my eyes strayed to the small slip of paper pasted by the doorknob. _Uchiha Sasuke, seventeen years old, Genin. _What, the system's beginning to reveal your personal information? What garbage, in my opinion! I mean, Sasuke would NOT approve of them still considering him a _Genin_...well, although he never really did get to the final round of Chuunin exams he and Naruto missed, either.

As a last point (I heard this from Ino's mouth, too), a rumor's been floating around Konoha for the past few days that Uchiha was getting his 'Chuunin' request approved by the Village Elders...and, of course, by Tsunade-sama, which meant...*gasp* he could finally advance to our rank! Don't get me wrong: Ino-pig and I-the lot of us, were _ecstatic _and in high hopes for him. Obviously his private Chuunin exam would be screened with extra-tight security measures, but we still didn't know the exact details of the whole thing. Naruto was going berserk when he got wind of the news, too. _"HEY! Teme's going to become a Chuunin? GREAT! But...frick, how about me?"_

With one more sharp intake of breath, I wrapped my gloved fingers around the cold metal knob, turning it around slowly. The rust produced a squeaky sound as it turned, but the door creaked open nonetheless._ I can't believe I'm even DOING this._

Darkness greeted me, and I stumbled forward, tripping over my own clumsy footing as I took hold of the cement wall of the room, fumbling around for the switch. "Why is it so dark in here?" I whined, pouting. Feeling the protruding chunk of what _should_ be the light switch, I flipped it upward, and the room flickered instantly to life, flooding the place with a dull yellow, squeamish-looking light. I squinted, glancing around for the dark-haired guy I've been hopelessly in love with since I was thirteen. Eugh, I was such a brat, then.

A small cabinet holding books of sorts occupied one part of the room to the left, while the glass windows were open, letting in a sliver of a nice gentle breeze as it shook the red curtains to and fro. A closet was situated right across from Sasuke's bed, which actually looked clean and unsoiled, putting my stupidly curious thought if Sasuke was as messy as the obnoxious idiot at rest. I grinned inwardly, streaks of euphoria planted in my mind when I walked closer to the Uchiha's bedside table housing the single precious photograph of _us_...of Team Seven.

_He actually kept it. I thought he destroyed-'severed'-his so-called bonds with us. He never did..._I thought, my cheeks hurting from the extreme wideness of my grin, which brought tears to my eyes. For the first time in my life, I felt so _happy_.

There I was in the middle of the picture as I crouched down to look closer at it. Smiling with my eyes closed, my hands folded in front of me, my then long cherry hair cascaded past my shoulders, and dang, was I a short girl. To my right, Sasuke's hot face held a hard expression, but had an air of irritation to it as he clenched his teeth, glaring at Naruto, who, on the other side of me, was throwing Sasuke the same look, his then-cute face (not _as_ cute as Uchiha's, sorry) furious. Kakashi-sensei was captured as purely worry-free, and you can tell beneath the thin dark-navy of mask that his lips were turned up in a smile. I must admit that we evolved greatly through the years, and Naruto...he's become so _handsome_ now, too. We never really did crumble with our old souls fading in the fire. It was always there, rekindled, put out, and rekindled over and over again.

_Good times...and now it's returning._

A shuffle behind me jerked my composure upright as I whipped around, holding the stick loosely but breathing faster again.

_There he was...as tall as I remembered him. _Uchiha Sasuke stood right in the doorway, a soft smirk on his face as the bangs flew past his angular jawbones. His onyx orbs pierced my own, and my lips parted, struggling to say something.

IDIOT, _talk! Open your mouth! Say anything, just don't have the Uchiha be in silence!_

"S-Sasu-"

"Sakura. You're here. I was expecting you," he told me, his voice ringing a velvety silk tone that triggered a tingle to run up from the tips of my toes through my spine. He _was_ expecting me, okay then.

"Y-yeah, Ino told me."

Still smirking, he moved closer, shifting to sit on his bed without a sound. The very movement of him shut everything out that _wasn't _Uchiha-the walls, the cabinet, heck, even the darned_ stick_ I was holding.

He looked at me then, probably waiting for me to say more. My mouth parted again. "I...I haven't seen you in three long years. You _do_ know that, right?"

Sasuke gave me a subtle nod, and his gaze looked me up and down. _OH MY GOD, he's _checking me out_! Don't tell me he's checking me out!_

_Well,_ duh_, he is, who else doesn't 'check you out' like that?_

_Shut UP!_

No, I couldn't lose myself. Not yet. And oh my god, not lose myself like_ THAT_! Don't get the wrong idea!

"You've grown taller since I last saw you. And your...skin, it glows under this light." Sasuke smirked again, and I resisted my imagination from zooming into crazy overdrive hysterics. Was it just me, or did Sasuke change how he acted towards me?

I couldn't say anything. Nope, NO siree. He JUST mentioned my skin _glows_. Do you have _any_ idea how that made me feel? No, I _had_ to remain hard and...hold up my I-hate-you facade. I pursed my lips, blushing like mad.

"Is that all you can say?" My voice was gritty and strained; just how I expected it to sound like. Sasuke stood up slowly, towering above me as he leaned down, his nose centimeters from my own. Ohmi_god_. I was gonna lose it! "No. Actually, I have a lot to ask you. It's been on my mind since...I left the village." His warm breath on my _face_ made my skin buzz even harder now; electricity fizzled on my fingertips. _Sakura, keep calm._

Okay, say I'm a weakling, but I couldn't keep my _hard gaze_ on Sasuke for _this_ long. Instantly my eyes softened as he sighed, and the mint-covered breath tickled my eyelashes. Whoa, I noticed, for the first time, that they were_ long_, alright!

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**Eww, back to school tomorrow! Well, it SUCKED I got sick in the middle of mid-terms, but thank God it's all done! Thank youuu, and please reviewwwwwww. As for Ino, she has a pretty big load of Shikamaru to deal with in the next chappie or so, so yeyyy hehe! ^_^**

**xYama-chanx**


	5. Operation Shikamaru Part I

**HII everyone! *hug* I'm SORRY for being MIA, my computer's been blasted with non-stop viruses and malware lately (and I'm so scared it's not even funny. What if my dad throws an ugly fit_ again_ because of me infecting the comp.? I don't even press anything and go on sick websites (lol)! Oh well D'X), so therefore I can't update to my active stories at ALL right now, ugh! Don't worryy, just think of this chapter as relaxation therapy like it has been for me while writing it, and a _huge_ make-up one. So I hope you all understand! Thank youu so much for being there for me and my stories, and now, enjoy! :D **

**-Yama-chan**

**p.s You know what I'm gonna go try and fix the computer myself *fingers crossed*. It's annoying me now! I wanna go kill whoever started this virus chaos DX**

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**Ino's POV:**

_Seriously, what are you_ doing_? I'm not going to listen to YOU._

_Come _on_! Remember you mentioned this was 'Operation: Shikamaru'?_

_N-no! I n-never said _that_! Now shut up and go away. _I officially hate having an inner like you!_ Hell, I don't even know how you even came into existence!_

_That's my style girl, just like you. And nu-uh, don't go into denial, because you_ did_ say that!_

_Whatever._

Huh. I'm not stupid; I remember calling this entire situation 'Operation: Shikamaru', but the ultimate problem was: _how_ was I supposed to carry out the freaking operation, and by myself? Talk about being 'unprepared', if you ask me. Yet the very thought of my ex-boyfriend actually here in the streets of the village treading the same ground I'm on (hell, even_ breathing_ the same air), already made me feel queasy...but in a good way, I guess.

I mean: Shikamaru's back! He's, no doubt, back!

How the hell did he change his mind, to say the least, and dared to come back here where _I_ was? Honestly, I caught the beginnings of something fishy going around, and I was going to find out, whether it ripped my heart right out of my chest or pulled my intestines out through my anus. _Okay, that last analogy was disgusting._

Shikamaru should have his genius brain screwed on correctly, and thinking about the possibility: what if he left that notorious dirty-blonde Sand wench to come running back, seemed so_ impossible _at the same time.

_Maybe he wants you back again! Maybe he's finally realized what a pineapple-haired jerk he was and how slutty Temari is! Maybe-_

_Oh, shut it. It's not like I'm concerned about everything._

_Yes you ARE. This is why you have an_ inner_. I make you think things through! You can't simply walk away from the Nara you've seen as gorgeous, SEXY and bad-ass since the day he became Chuunin-_

_Go away. I admit it, h-he_ is_ sexy, alright? Say that again or else I'm gonna beat you up! _

_Beating me up would be beating up _yourself_. _

_UGH._

Oddly agreeing with the insane mentality of my inner; and curse her-I had one resolve: I don't care if I mess up this opportunity, because nobody dare shoves Yamanaka Ino around in their retarded, crazy mind games. And didn't I specifically promise Sakura I would go patch things up myself-and after forcing her to go pay the sexy Uchiha a visit (yes, I said _sexy_. You heard me)? Hence the codename 'Operation Shikamaru' came around.

I groaned out loud, passively ignoring the stares of villagers walking by me who were most likely going all,'Did that girl escape the mental asylum in Tsuchikagure'? I controlled my arm from throwing punches at the insult. Come on, I was wallowing in the depths of despair here!

I know,_ so_ dramatic...but this was the way I rolled towards.

I'm going to deal with it, and that is_ that_. Dub this as Ino's Will of Fire.

And didn't I also hold Asuma-sensei's promise not to lose to forehead in romance and ninjutsu? Well, this operation to be carried out happened to be my own romance issue.

No one interferes between me and the Nara. If they do, each person I know had a horrifying idea of what I would do in return. Hahaha.

* * *

Ino glided nonchalantly through the groups of stores, relevant and irrelevant thoughts coursing through her head. Her baby blue eyes were glued to the sandy ground, and people began to notice how she was walking in a what seemed like a stupor.

Her fists were balled tightly, and her every movement looked stiff and uncoordinated. Was she _this_ nervous to approach Shikamaru already? And on his first day back in Konoha? Oh joy.

After an internal conflict with her inner conscious (which was the most annoying thing she's ever had to deal with so far), she decided to go through with the operation. Cliche, of course, but Ino was desperate to get to the bottom of this. _What's up with Shikamaru and his antics? He even mouthed hello to me! I almost half-expected him to ignore me, or kiss me, but what does he do? He goes home!_

Ino's glassy, irked gaze was fixated on the mossy colored roof of the Nara Residence, pieces of vines hanging gracefully down the front entrance and growing onto a section of the shoji screens. Her heart performed a sudden flip-flop, if not to say her stomach too, while her breath quickened. Electric charge buzzed in her ears as her eyes soaked in what was before her.

_I'm here. I'm at _Shikamaru's_ place. I've never been here for, what, a year or so? _

The blonde kunoichi inched her way to the door, hands layered with sweat. Why was she so tense and uptight about seeing him; talking to him, or_ touching_ him?

_Oh my god, can I just run?_

_You can't, idiot, because you've made it this far! What's the use?_

_Sorry! It's just...he might say something-_

_Of course he will! It's your teammate! You and I know Shikamaru is completely unpredictable. And you're tough!_

_Ugh, you're right. _

_Then what the hell are you waiting for? Move it!_

_Don't talk to me like THAT!_

Tuning out the rants of her subconscious, she raised a hand, poised to knock on the door until the sudden movement of the shoji door sliding open made her jump. _AH! W-who's-_

Nara Yoshino looked rather truly surprised, her sparkling dark eyes taking in what was a way jittery Yamanaka Ino. Ino quickly moved aside, noticing that the knitted grocery bag she hung on her forearm indicated she was about to go out. And she knew Shikamaru's mom well enough to bring home loads of unnecessary foods when a guest was over...and that guest was the female Yamanaka. _Great timing._

"Ino!" Her voice was cheery and thorough, albeit exhausted. She put a hand on Ino's shoulder. "What are you doing here?"

The blonde flushed so red it was a wonder why Yoshino didn't notice it. Confident now, she moved in front of her, trying to keep herself straight and focused.

"I-I-I want to know if...Shikamaru's here. He's back, right?"

_Aw, shit! _Stuttering_ is the way to go!_

Yoshino squealed, delighted, and Ino's tummy did a horrible somersault. _Does she know-?_ Her eyes bright, she abruptly pulled Ino inside the house, a close-mouthed smile that she's never seen her flash in a long time on her face.

"Why, he is! He came back on such short notice, we were never able to arrange a welcome-home party for him-of course, with the whole family!" Yoshino's words echoed. Was nobody else here? _Shikamaru-_

Ah, when she said family, she meant _both_ Yamanaka and Akimichi clans, duh. To refresh your memory, all three clans have been involved in keeping sacred and active the ancient tradition of the Ino-Shika-Cho generations for what seemed like centuries, and breaking the unbelievably lengthy thread of that was the ultimate insult; the biggest amount of dishonor you can bring upon your family, and to Ino, this was _big_.

Confusion rippled through Ino's beautiful features, sweat forming on her brow as she stared incredulously at her. She couldn't possibly mean...dammit.

"A-a _welcome-home party_? Didn't he move to Suna because of Te-"

"No, dear,"Yoshino's laugh was gentle as she put down her grocery bag on the floor for a second,"-Shikamaru went on an S-rank mission as the head strategist! We were reluctant at first to let him go. The time span of the mission was approximately one to two years, can you believe it? Our greatest fear was: what if he_ died_?"

She stared at Ino, awed. The kunoichi's eyes grew wider at each phrase. She couldn't believe it, as she said! She just couldn't! Was the mission that complex and complicated?

"R-really?" Her tone was barely a whisper, too many emotions flowing through her veins at once it gave Ino a slight headache.

Yoshino gave her a subtle nod, squeezing her hand. "Yes! Even though he still had a few Anbu or so to accompany him on the task, it was nerve-wracking for me! But no doubt our young man made it a success and came home without a scratch." She smiled again, but this time it was warmer. The sight of it bedazzled Ino, as if Shikamaru really did do so undeniably well.

_DUH! He's Nara Shikamaru. He's one of Konoha's ten most important shinobi. _

Although it pained Ino to realize that no one's told her about this so-called mission, especially Chouji, she found it so hard to accept it. He might have...died? Then the emotional turmoil she's endured since he left would have been way more manageable and easier to get over with, but no. He didn't mention he was going on an _S-ranked mission_, for Kami's sake!

Shikamaru just had to tell her that Temari was his-

"Are you okay, Ino? You should sit down," Yoshino told her, leading her to a row of intricately patterned cushions pushed against one wall of the living room. Ino didn't even acknowledge her deed, but she figured Nara's mom saw she was pale. _Oh no._

Ino plopped herself down on a seat, instantly noticing how worn out she actually was, and looked up at Yoshino. "Thank you so much," she replied, taking one spare pillow and hugging it to her chest, aware it was pounding like a gong. _I'm still nervous; he was on a MISSION! He never told me! I feel like hitting something!_

"How about I leave you here to get comfortable while I go out for groceries? You can wait for Shikamaru to come home,"Yoshino said, the sound of her voice strangely soothing. Sometimes Ino felt as if, truthfully, Yoshino was her second mom. _I mean, we're all so close to each other and our families it's crazy._

"Okay, Mrs. Nara! Thank you again!" Ino weakly called out as Yoshino made her way to the entrance, until she stopped and turned to her for one last time.

"It's really not a problem, sweetie. There's lavender and jasmine tea in the kitchen if you want some. And rice balls if you get hungry,"she cooed, disappearing.

Yoshino was gone. The moderate summer heat poured through the open windows, and the silence was making Ino uncomfortable.

It was only Ino now, all alone, by herself-

In Nara Shikamaru's house!

The reality of it seemed mostly normal, and...partly eccentric. _What if somebody, or everybody, got the wrong idea? Like, I'm not hooking up with him or anything or doing God knows what with him! Yep. Sitting by myself in his house waiting for Shikamaru was _SOOO_ creepy! I'm not a stalker, though!_

_You stalk _Sasuke_, so what else does that make you? He's so perfect; so gorgeous; his chicken-butt hair adds even more _sizzle_-_

_Can you just STOP making me feel guilty? You're not a freaking prosecutor._

_Fine, I'm going!_

_THANK YOU!_

The blonde exhaled, tossing aside the red and green patterned cushion. Basically sitting here waiting for him was inexplicably unnerving, and no matter how many times she said the adjective, her resolve wouldn't go away...and the incessant buzzing of electricity on her skin wasn't going to ebb away anytime soon.

But Yoshino already happened to fill in a big chunk of her question, causing Ino to hyperventilate inwardly while she was listening to her talk about Shikamaru.

_He survived a mission I had no knowledge of whatsoever! Oh, thank KAMI._

Ino stood up and began pacing back and forth in the room in the hopes of shaking her anxiety away but to know avail. What was she even supposed to tell him after not seeing him for _two_ years or less? She _had_ to start off on a strong note. A note that would knock some sense into that lazy mindset of a Shika. It had to be mind-boggling; something that would launch feelings in him to give her a damn good reason why he left like _that_, and with the four pony-tailed Sand girl as the stupid reason...

At the moment, she felt like yelling obscenities at his flawless face. And oh my goodness, she considered Shikamaru as _flawless_.

_Oh, shit no. So I've never really gotten over him after convincing myself I honestly was_ (_after a hell lot of crying and _cutting. See the pain he got me in?)_!_

A rustling sound startled Ino so badly she let out a shrill scream, rushing back to the layer of cushions and pressing herself against it, hiding her blushing face with one. Who is that? Who is it? Who just came in?

_God!_

"_Ino_? What are you doing here?"

That awfully familiar voice: drawling and lazy and to-the-point, was tinged with utmost shock, and Ino's motor reflexes failed when he spoke. She couldn't even yank the cushion away from her face!

"Mmfm,"she mumbled into the cushion, sensing flares of red on her pale cheeks. So much for expecting to be fierce, demanding and furious since she planned this out. Obviously it was a huge fail.

_Shikamaru!_

_It's SHIKAMARU. He's here! And standing _right in front of me_. _

Ino stubbornly moved the cushion to the edge of her right eye, staring down at a pair of black sandals, and irresistible (chikusho) legs covered with mesh standing _so_ close to her bent form.

In fact, _too_ close.

Sh struggled to even out her breathing as she felt Shikamaru move even closer to her.

"Ino," he said, and the way he enunciated her name caused a cloud-nine emotion to wash over the kunoichi. Oh my gosh.

Finally mustering up the courage to talk, her lips moved.

"Shikamaru."

"Um, what?"

"I'm not gonna say it again," she muttered, her mind revolving gears.

"What did you say?"

Can he _not_ hear her? Is he deaf?

"Haha, take away that cushion from your face! I can't hear you properly." Shikamaru coaxed, and Ino felt his fingers grip the cushion and try to pull it out of her arms.

"No!" She cried, embarrassed and humiliated. _His voice...it's so comforting to hear him again. Damn, I got it bad! _

"Ino," he complained, yanking harder. She still didn't let go of it, and she tried painfully hard to hide her smile at the irritation he was feeling now. Warmth engulfed her body again.

"No, I won't," she replied, pouting childishly. Score, her voice was 'high and kid-sounding'!

"Ino! I'm serious, I'm going to leave you here," he said, finally releasing his grasp from it and giving her space, taking a few steps back. And did she actually feel _disappointed_?

Just then, a bout of anger consumed what was previously bliss a while ago as she stood up, and discreetly shoved the cushion into his chest. Shikamaru staggered backward, looking at her incredulously at her sudden change.

"So you're going to leave me here again, like you did BEFORE?," she cried, hands on her hips and the tips of her eyes growing stingy and hot.

"Ino, I-"

"Tell me...why...you left me!", Ino yelled at him so loud that Shikamaru winced. She shoved the cushion, hard, into his chest in-between each phrase. Ino was most likely to lose control as her mouth was pressed in a furious hard line, tears now flowing in rivulets as he stared at her, horrified.

"I want to explain-"

"Then explain!" With a booming stomp, she whirled around, all intentions having nothing of regret but to leave Shikamaru there, and as she was about to storm out of the house, his hand shot out to grab her wrist.

Not expecting at all what his next move would be, Ino yelped in surprise, her whiplash of emotions draining away when Shikamaru pulled her close to him. His arms firmly and gently held Ino's waist, making sure she wouldn't escape.

It was like she'd gone suddenly soft and limp in his arms, and that the Nara had 'the touch' only effective on her. _He's..._

Her sobbing was reduced to sniffs as, to her shock, he perched his chin on her shoulder blade, and Ino tingled at how close his body was to hers. _I mean, his proximity to me is probably like two inches! Don't move. Don't freak out, Ino!_

"Please understand," Shikamaru whispered, and his breath hovering by her ear was surely something to _kiss_ him for, but she managed to control her impulses.

And Ino was, on all points, positive that her reaction on what he would say next was going to tilt the world on its' axis, guts, tears, _kisses_ (damn) and all.

But as she mentioned earlier...he needed a reason possibly good enough for her to forgive the genius jerk.

* * *

**I hopee this was long enough to make you guys happyy! I'm sorry if nothing much happened in this chappie, but I'm going to fill the next chapter with more fluff hopefully :3 ShikaIno = l.o.v.e. I am a die-hard shipper of this couple, lol. Now I need to write Chapter 9 of Mathematical Love! And I'm SO SORRY it's taking so longg! Once again, stupid viruses!**

**xyama-chanx xoxox**


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